Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth to tear apart their prey, researchers have found

Scientists have discovered that the edges of Komodo dragons’ teeth are surrounded by iron. The study, led by researchers at King’s College London, provides new insight into how Komodo dragons keep their teeth sharp and may provide clues to how dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex killed and ate their prey.

Komodo dragons, native to Indonesia, are the largest of the monitor lizards, averaging 80 kilograms. As deadly predators, Komodos have sharp, curved teeth like many carnivorous dinosaurs. They eat almost any kind of meat, from small reptiles and birds to deer, horses or water buffalo, pulling and tearing the prey apart to separate the flesh.

Researchers have found iron in the teeth of many reptiles, but Komodo dragons accumulate iron on the cutting edges and tips of their teeth, staining them orange. In alligators and other monitor lizards, by comparison, iron is often imperceptibly low.

To understand the chemical and structural composition of Komodo dragon teeth, scientists searched the skulls and teeth of Komodo dragons in museums and examined the teeth of a 15-year-old Komodo dragon that lived in the ZSL Conservation Zoo at London Zoo. .

Through advanced imaging and chemical analysis, the team was able to observe that the iron in Komodo dragons’ enamel is concentrated into a thin coating over their teeth and fangs. This protective layer keeps the polar ends of their teeth sharp and ready for use at a moment’s notice.

research, Published Inside Natural Ecology & Evolution, leading to new questions and avenues for research into how extinct species such as dinosaurs lived and ate. The paper is entitled „Iron-coated Komodo dragon teeth and the complex tooth enamel of carnivorous reptiles”.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Aaron LeBlanc says, „Komodo dragons have curved, curved teeth to rip and tear their prey like carnivorous dinosaurs. We want to use this similarity to learn more about how carnivorous dinosaurs might have eaten if they used iron in their teeth like the Komodo dragon.”

„Unfortunately, using the technology we have now, we can’t see whether or not fossilized dinosaur teeth contained high levels of iron. We think the chemical changes that occur during the fossilization process shed light on how much iron was there to begin with.

„What we discovered is that large carnivorous dinosaurs, such as tyrannosaurs, changed the structure of the enamel on the cutting edges of their teeth. So, Komodo dragons changed the chemistry of their teeth, and some dinosaurs changed the structure of their tooth enamel to maintain a sharp cutting edge.

„Further analysis of Komodo teeth may reveal other markers in the iron coating that didn’t change during fossilization. With markers like these, we’ll know for sure whether dinosaurs also had iron-coated teeth and more teeth. Understanding these ferocious predators.”

Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at ZSL and co-author of the study, Dr. Benjamin Tapley said: „Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizards, are irresistibly fascinating animals. Having worked with them for 12 years at London Zoo, I continue to be fascinated by them and these discoveries further emphasize how incredible they are.

„Komodo dragons are sadly endangered, so this discovery strengthens our understanding of how the iconic dinosaurs might have lived, and helps us build a deeper understanding of these magnificent reptiles as we work to conserve them.”